16 February 2012
Scottish fishermen have condemned Iceland and the Faroes for the breakdown in talks in Reykjavik today (16 February) with the EU and Norway on reaching an international deal for the sustainable management of the North-East Atlantic mackerel fishery.
Ian Gatt, chief executive of the Scottish Pelagic Fishermen’s Association (SPFA), branded this final set of talks with Iceland and the Faroes as a “wild goose chase” with neither of the countries showing any intention of seeking realistic compromise in the negotiations.
He said: “We condemn Iceland for inviting Coastal States to Reykjavik for further talks when they had no intention of compromising or tabling a realistic solution to this mackerel catching dispute. It was simply a wild goose chase. We should also question why the Faroe Islands turn up to these talks when they contribute nothing to the debate, remain silent and are clearly intent on hammering the mackerel stock again this year.
“It is glaringly apparent that continual negotiation and compromise by the EU and Norway is not going to achieve an agreement with Iceland and the Faroes. Sanctions must now be implemented against Iceland and the Faroes before their summer mackerel fisheries begin.
“We know the European Parliament is making good progress with the sanction proposal but it will also need European fisheries ministers to endorse the sanction measures. Given that the UK is the largest stakeholder in the mackerel fishery, we call upon Scots fisheries secretary Richard Lochhead and UK fisheries minister Richard Benyon to throw their full weight behind this and ensure that sanctions are in place before these fisheries commence.
Mr Gatt added that the SPFA also fully supported the comments made today by Irish MEP Pat the Cope Gallagher, who has been tasked by the European Parliament to oversee the introduction of new trade measures against non-EU countries engaged in unsustainable fishing practices. In a statement, Mr Gallagher said that he will propose to the European Fisheries Committee when it meets on 29 February to go further than the original EC proposal so as to include all fish and fishery products in the proposed sanctions.
It is now anticipated that Iceland and Faroe will set quotas based on how much fish they can catch when the mackerel stock is in their zone, rather than pursue a sustainable fishery based on an international fisheries agreement, putting the health of this incredibly important stock in jeopardy.
Ends
More information:
Ian Gatt, SPFA, M: 07803 041021
Bertie Armstrong, Chief executive, Scottish Fishermen’s Federation, Tel: 01224 646944
Keith Broomfield, Tel: 01259 742575, M: 07890 781151
